The story goes that it all began on an episode of THE WILD, WILD WEST, about a year earlier. The terrific, prolific actor Burgess Meredith played a crafty professor called Orkney Cadwallander, who created earthquakes with the use of explosives. He was so over the top that his performance more than likely lead to winning the role of the equally devious and eccentric PENGUIN. Meredith would go on to appear more than twenty times on the series, more popular than ever, and producers even worked around his schedule in order to bring him back at a time that was convenient for him. Now that's star treatment!
Here, the Penguin is introduced as an ex-con who has gone straight, running an innocent umbrella shop? His secret plan is to rob the city --with lots of umbrellas to cause chaos and confusion, including a mega, mega GIGANTIC umbrella that lands in the middle of Gotham City. The production artists were a creative bunch. Some great supporting actors, such as David Lewis, playing the warden (in nine episodes). Lewis later became a regular on GENERAL HOSPITAL. Also look for popular character actor Walter Burke as the Penguin's henchman called Sparrow. Burke was usually cast in Irish roles (also because he was of Irish heritage), replete with an accent. He played some memorable offbeat roles, such as the Toymaker in an episode of LOST IN SPACE and as Zeno the magician on BEWITCHED. Also Lewis Charles (as Hawkeye) appears, who generally played cons and sidekicks to villains. Not to be missed. SEASON 1 dvd box set, now restored.
Here, the Penguin is introduced as an ex-con who has gone straight, running an innocent umbrella shop? His secret plan is to rob the city --with lots of umbrellas to cause chaos and confusion, including a mega, mega GIGANTIC umbrella that lands in the middle of Gotham City. The production artists were a creative bunch. Some great supporting actors, such as David Lewis, playing the warden (in nine episodes). Lewis later became a regular on GENERAL HOSPITAL. Also look for popular character actor Walter Burke as the Penguin's henchman called Sparrow. Burke was usually cast in Irish roles (also because he was of Irish heritage), replete with an accent. He played some memorable offbeat roles, such as the Toymaker in an episode of LOST IN SPACE and as Zeno the magician on BEWITCHED. Also Lewis Charles (as Hawkeye) appears, who generally played cons and sidekicks to villains. Not to be missed. SEASON 1 dvd box set, now restored.
